December 2011:Once we pop, we just can't stop

[OiMissus]

Here's the new thread!
Squee-eeze those muscles, or squee-ee-eeeze those babies out!

aethel that's great advice and exactly what I will start with so the consultant knows they're not dealing with my neuroses but those of my parents!

figgy and chinch they really are ridiculous aren't they! So glad it's not just me being an arsey cow. I did make it very clear however that unless a problem is actually uncovered I will NOT be doing this again and I will also NOT be succumbing to any future PFB stuff from them once the baby is here. My mother did start down the road of "but it's not just your decision about the baby, it's our grandchild too and affects us all" but luckily DH backed me up and rather forcefully put his foot down, saying decisions regarding our child (once it finally makes its appearance!) would be made solely by the two of us.

I just really hope they don't inadvertently let slip what the sex of the baby is at the scan as we have waited this long for it to be a surprise I will be sure to tell them not to indicate one way or the other before it starts but I would guess it is probably more obvious now to the untrained eye than it was at the 20 week scan!

Oi so glad it went well, sounds like you're on the brink. All good full moon vibes to you I'm surviving in a pair of old roomy biker boots at the moment, there's no way in hell I'd be out walking around in flip flops.

fusam I'm so impressed you've been working all this time! I feel like I've been on ML for months (and yet still haven't got much done...) According to my MW I've been engaged for at least the last few weeks so I guess it doesn't always mean you're going to go into labour soon. Would it be an issue if you went into labour naturally?

Hurrah, another baby and what a smooth and unruffled birth it sounds like! Congratulations lottie and welcome Isabel Sophia! (Lovely name, is it soFEEa or soFIEa?)

I think upthread mrsbuggy advised kri5ty to use cold cabbage leaves from the fridge for painful boobs, anyway hope the pump is helping!

Had mw appointment now, I actually feel loads better for the fresh air despite the horrible weather. All is well, baby is totally engaged! Which I know means bugger all, but while I'm not fed up of being pregnant, I really really want to cuddle my baby!

lottie Congratulations! Isabel is one of my favourite names, but has been vetoed all three times by DP! With engorgement, go to bed and feed feed feed as often as she will, the advice about cabbage leaves and expressing for comfort only applies if people aren't bfing.

Ahh thanks for giving the right advice mrsb, sorry for misrepresenting you

The wind here is so strong it sounds like the roof is going to come off the building - nothing compared to points north I know but it's still a little alarming! The planes are still taking off from Heathrow though so it can't be as bad as all that. I'm going to take my daily constitutional now down to Costa and back before lunch, hope everyone has a good day!

Congratulations lottie!!! Another birth! Send your vibes this way!
And how I want your brief labour! It's my first, and he's big, so it aint going to happen, but i remain ever hopeful!
Welcome to the world Isabel Sophia! Lovely name. :)
(I swore that I wouldn't become one of the pg women you see in flip flops. But the swelling is so awful, they realy are the only things I can get on. )

I really must remove the Exclamation Mark button from my key pad. It's overuse is rather ridiculous. Let's see them as figurative pom poms. that would be more acceptable.

Congratulations lottie Lovely name

Oi I hope this sweep does the trick

Tinsel Hope the walk to Costa gets things moving so you can avoid the unnecessary scan

fusam Enjoy ML

Plu Good effort on the catch up!

Sorry if I've missed anyone else out - this thread moves so quickly!

Well, I've written about half the Christmas cards now, and will do the rest tonight. I've left them unsealed and have a blank space to write in baby's name if it deigns to arrive before last posting. If not, I'll have to just write 'baby'. The way things feel at the moment though, I think it'll stay put until it's about 18 unless someone does something to intervene . Still a week to go until my sweep so will keep trying other methods until then. DH is cooking us a curry for dinner tonight

Hi All,

Congratulations to those of you who are holding your babies already, commiserations to those of you impatiently waiting!!

I read every day but rarely post - can't keep up with everyone's specifics but love everyone's names so far and am sending vibes of support and encouragement to those that need it

I'm still a few weeks off my due date, but very proud that I managed to attend a gig last night at 38 weeks!! Feeling it today though. I might actually make my works Xmas do next Friday at this rate

Was planning on starting my batch cooking today, but the weather is pants and I really don't want to go outside. Cup of tea and a twix it is then!!

Oooh, congratulations lottie. Isabel is a goregous name, and would have been no.1 for me had sprog not been a boy (and sadly would sound ridiculous with OH's surname). Sounds like a lovely relaxed birth too.

fusam- I've told the hospital that unless I turn up 10cm dilated that I'll be having the ELCS. I've got an appointment with them today, and will double check what the general advice is.

Oh dear God, the 'it's our grandchild too' thing, aaaargh! I think you/DH were entirely right to put your foot down tinsel, and you're doing well not loose it more emphatically.

One back for you- OH's mother decided (and thankfully told my Mum, who stopped her, having been bollocked by me for a similar thing) that she was going to travel the 350 miles here, stay in a B&B (she's 70 and disabled and we have lots of stairs) and come round and clean our house. Because if she didn't do that before the HV came, our baby would obviously be taken by social services/catch something/bring shame on the family.

They mean so well, I'm sure, but really....

Sounds promising Oi!

Congrats Lottie Isabel is a gorgeous name - Isobel is our fav name at the moment!

Oi My sympathies re the swollen feet - all I've been able to fit on for last few months weeks is either my ballerina pumps or flip flops!

I had a few contractions over night but they stopped about 4am. Snowballs not made to many movements today - so just going to drink a cold glass of something.

Loads of heartburn/upper GI pain too. FedUp now!

Bit of a rubbish update here. My cervix too closed to even be able to do a sweep. 3/5 engaged. Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish
Becoming resigned to induction if they can fit me in somewhere but not how I wanted this to go at all.
And my DH is only talking about work as its pretty stressful for him at the moment. So we are arguing too...
More meh

Much foot related sympathy! I'm living in a pair of velcro Mary Jane slip on shoes as the only alternative I can get on comfortably are my much loved walking sandals which it's not really the weather for anymore... Not a swelling issue for me, I just can't manage laces so my usual DMs are off the menu.

And isn't the hygeine criticism annoying! I am concentrating on the DDs at the moment and my anti-nesting continues....except my dad's girlfriend has now invited herself over for Christmas day (don't want to stress my dad by telling her to bog off) and mentioned that while she was over she "wanted to clean my cooker". Cow.

hohoho, how stressful for you but try to feel positive, baby is clearly feeling very happy in there and will come when they are ready, hopefully you'll pop before induction. Softening vibes to your cervix!

And congrats lottie, Isabel is a lovely name.

Sorry I haven't had a chance to read any messages so congrats to anyone who's had their baby

You may have guessed from my absence....our beautiful baby boy was born 7:34pm on Tuesday 6th December (my birthday, well, our birthday now) 8lb 14oz, we haven't agreed on a name yet but I'll keep you informed & will try to get a picture up really soon. A bit sore & achey but we're doing great & he's latching & sleeping well.

I had a leak at 3am, more at 630am but truly felt waters pop at 7am, at that point I thought I might be able to get some sleep still but 10 mins later we were downstairs filling the pool. It's mostly a blur, I'll probably post a more detailed birth story on the homebirth thread when I make sense of it all. Basically I laboured the day at home with pool & hypno breathing for pain relief but ended up being transferred in for a very quick ventouse delivery as baby's head was a bit too big & I my pelvis was a bit too small...sounds worse than it was

I have 2 days worth of messages to catch up on so this might be my only message for the day. Take care...labour vibes to all who want them

Lottie huge congratulations!! Such a beautiful name.

Tinsel lol at it's our grandchild. I would have retorted that with rights come responsibilities, if they want a say they need help with the sleepless nights, cleaning up sick, provide free childcare basically turn their lives upside down like a parent rather than calling the shots from the sidelines. I don't know if that would call their bluff or give you more problems.

I don't know if I should actually attempt a VBAC or not. No one seems to be able to give definite advice on whether complications from my last labour would/would not arise. I haven't prepared for a VB mentally but a part of me thinks well baby is so well positioned why not try it. bah, poor DH is getting a bit stressed at the lack of a plan.

awww honey how lovely, congratulations!

Hurrah honey! You beat me to it and I am soooo pleased for you! It's so nice that your LO will share your birthday too!
Huge congratulations! and a warm welcome to your little boy. You are now a family. Lovely lovely lovely! Virtual hugs and celebratory kisses and a big raspberry for your son's belly.
Please send me some of your labour vibes, our little boy seems to be too comfy where he is!

Congrats Honey i have to admit i am getting savagely at all the new arrivals i feel like that girl from the movies who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride and cries about when it will be her turn.

Honey Congratulations

I am having an ow day. I ran for the bus this morning. It was A Bad Plan(tm) and I have been getting twangs and pains ever since, though they are thankfully easing off now.

Feeling the shoe hate ladies. I am living in a pair of Primark sandshoe thingies and they have developed holes. The only things I have that actually class as comfortable are my walking sandals and there's still too much leaf mulch about to be braving them. I was tempted to get my Doc Martens out but I suspect I would just cry at trying to get them laced:(

I am now going to go see if there are any crisps in the house. Need salt!

Well done honey and glad you got to use your pool, at least for a while!

Congratulations honey! really glad everything is going well for you.

Joining in with shoes...I'm living in my walking shoes (which thankfully are waterproof!) but the laces are bloody difficult to get done up! Having a few minor conactions this afternoon, I'm encouraging them with nipple stimulation!

Congrats lottie and honey!!

No news here, sent home from hosp last night but need to go back 2mrw or Sat for more monitoring. They wouldn't do a sweep as 'too early' to be successful (am now 40+3 and v impatient!). I have no more appts booked with community midwife so not sure what to do now. Should I phone to make one or wait to see what midwives at the hospital say?
Been v sick again today which is rubbish, no wonder my blood pressure is high!!

So nice to hear about some more babies! Very jealous but it is keeping me going to think it will be us soon!!

Ladies sorry for the massive rant amongst all the good news and frustrated waiting but need a little vent.

I knew this would happen but after 8 days into my leave i am getting annoyed with DH, he is self employed and works from home and has a very poor work ethic, he does the minimum to get bye in terms of money. I understand that he is not particularly motivated by what he does but appreciates the lifestyle he can get from it i.e no commute, lots of flexibility in terms of how much he can do and how much he can earn and time to pursue his interests. Now last week he was quite good worked almost a full week apart from a couple early finishes so we could go get some bits but this week he didnt work monday as he had a cold, he's not working today as he is watching the cricket and he not planning on working tomorrow afternoon either. As it's December not only will his work dry up probably next week until after the new year i could also have had the baby which will make it difficult for him to work in the first place, i feel he should be be doing as much as he can while he can so that at the end of the month he is not moaning he has no money, no work etc but NOOO he is sat watching TV and playing on his Ipod. I mentioned to him this morning that he needs to prioritise as next week he may not be ABLE to work and was told im sat in doing nothing so cant comment ERR i am using accrued leave until next week when will be on maternity leave and i am getting fully paid from then for 12 weeks AND will be looking after baby figgy it's not like i am just sat on my arse!! Also spent yesterday afternoon writing his xmas cards which took over 3 hours as thought would save him a job if i knew he would be wasting today then I would have left him to do it his bloody self.

I appreciate i am lucky to enjoy my job, i earn a good wage and have a lot of commitment to my work this is something we have always argued over. We both have savings but i also have a feeling he thinks once i go to SMP i will have to fund the deficit out of my savings and his will be untouched which is bloody outrageous as he effectively has flexible earnings he could earn as much as he wants if he was willing to put the effort in and even now with a baby on the way he doesnt seem to be.

Am off downstairs in a minute to make lunch if i dont come back its because i have beat him to death with his currently idle works laptop. Apologies for the moan, do feel free to ignore me!!

Hi everyone, sorry for radio silence. Having sung the praises of the epidural it suddenly stopped working on one side! Apparently really really rare - it would have to happen to me! They tried all sorts to fix it but didn't work so ended up having no pain releif on one side for about 5 hours of contractions which was awful. Eventually they decided to take it out and redo it and then that was bliss!

But the baby then started getting a bit strssed out, they tried to get a blood sample from her head to check she was ok but 4 doctors couldn't get a blood sample! Honestly. I feel like calamity jane all the things that go wrong for me! She also wouldn't engage properly even though I was having strong contractions every 2 minutes so in the end I had an emergency section.

The section surprised me, even though an emergency I felt so calm and relaxed. Was so shattered after 12 hours of contractions that I fell asleep on the operating table when they were prepping me and also later when stitching me up!

So, babybel was born just before midnight and weighed 7lbs 8oz. Sorry, going to keep real name a secret. She is gorgeous but quite bruised and swollen face as she was stuck at a funny angle in my pelvis for so long. Also strangely has dark hair as both DH and I are very blonde!

She's been feeding and sleeping really well so far. I wanted to ask msbuggy is it ok for her to feed for an hour and then sleep for 5 hours or so? That's what she's been doing so far and the MWs say that is fine as my milk obviously not in yet and she is shattered from a long labour but wanted to check with our own personal expert!

Will post photos when I get round to it and when she's a bit less bruised! Sorry not responding to everyone's posts but congrats to all who've had their babies and sending labour vibes to those who haven't!

Feels very surreal to actually have baby in my arms at last and an empty tummy!

Congrats lottie and honey Love the name Isabel - still my no 1 for a girl but DH does not like Izzie as a nn, but I still love it!

After having some strongish contractions last night I went to bed and they all vanished!. Had quite a few today too but not regular. Think I startled the check out lady in Waitrose by obviously being in pain in the queue - she sorted all my shopping for me and got someone to carry it to the car!

Saw the Mw and she does not think it will be long - head virtually fully engaged. They tend not to sweep until 7 days over here but agreed to do one next thurs when 3 days over if I am still around!

DH still in bed ill! well has a cold and a headache! Our house is full of builders today - so not the best day if labour starts fully. Bad news is build is over running (what a surprise) and they will now hopefully be finished by christmas. So we are going to have lots of plaster dust next week, which is not ideal with a new born, but I am bit reluctant to move out.